Krah, Blake and Novy collect second win at Junior Olympics

7/30/2011

WICHITA, KAN. - Despite an afternoon weather delay, several athletes collected their second win of the meet on day four of competition at the USATF National Junior Olympics Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Marcus Krah of the Durham Striders, fresh off his winning performance in the triple jump, was victorious in the youth boy's long jump with a mark of 6.50m/21-4. Yesterday, Krah's leap of 13.43m/44-0.75 improved a 31-year-old record in the triple jump.

Vegas Valley Track Club's Ashlie Blake was another athlete who earned her second victory with a win in the intermediate girls' shot put. Blake's throw of 15.08m/49-5.75 was just 12 centimeters short of Michelle Carter's national age group record in the event. Blake set a new National Junior Olympics meet record yesterday in the discus throw with her toss of 46.61m/152-11.

Fellow thrower Tera Novy of Team Evolution claimed her second gold medal as she won the young women's discus with a mark of 46.57m/152-9. Novy was victorious in Friday's shot put competing, throwing 13.67m/44-10.25.

Tadepalli spins to victory
Kushaal Tadepalli of Valley United Track Club was victorious in the midget boys shot put throw. Tadepalli switched from the glide to the spin on his fifth throw, and launched a toss of 14.93m/48-11.75, a three foot improvement on his personal best.

"I felt really good," Tadepalli said. "When I came here, I just felt like I was going to do really well."

Although Tadepalli's mark was the best throw by more than two feet, he wasn't sure if it would hold up for the win.

"I thought another competitor would match my mark at least, but fortunately for me, they didn't," he said.

On the hill above the shot put ring, Tadepalli had a small cheering section urging him on.

"My dad and sister were there, and the rest of my team," Tadepalli said. "It really encouraged me to do my best."

Field outshines competition
Texas Faces' Devin Field topped a competitive field in the young men's long jump, finishing in first with a leap of 7.58m/25-10.5. Field, who competed for Team USA this past weekend at the Pan Am Junior Championships, came into the meet with high expectations.

"I was looking for the win and the sophomore record because last year I came three inches short of the freshman record, and this year I was three inches short of the sophomore record," Field said. "My farthest jump in the prelims was 26 feet, but I fouled it."

Field and the other long jumpers had the crowd at Cessna stadium slow-clapping and cheering them on.

"The crowd was a real big help," he said. "My team and other kids with their support, it just felt good."

For Field, a veteran of the National Junior Olympics meet, the win was a redemption of sorts.

"I've had a bad losing at Junior Olympics, so this was kind of nice," Field said.

Leleux tops vaulters
Morgann Leleux of New Heights walked away with the victory in the young women's pole vault, falling just short of the national record. Leleux, who also competed at Pan Am Championships this past weekend, jumped the winning height of 4.00m/13-1.5, but wasn't able to clear 4.22m/13-10 to best Natalie Willer's age group benchmark.

"At Pan Am Games, I broke a pole, so they shipped down some poles that we got in yesterday," Leleux said. "We were just kind of trying them out today, and we weren't exactly sure where to put standards and stuff. That kind of messed me up."

Like many other events schedule for the afternoon, the pole vault faced a delay.

"We were supposed to compete at 2:30 and it's like 8 o'clock now," Leleusx said after the event ended. "I think I warmed up three times. It took forever."

Leleux, who will have another shot at the record later this summer, was content with just getting out and competing.

"This is my last summer with my dad as my coach, so I'm just taking all the chances to spend with him that I can," she said.